Hitherto, there have been various automatic record disc loading players. Most such record players have clamping and holder means for holding a record disc at its circumferential or outer periphery. These holding means may disadvantageously cause damage to the record disc. The physical size of the record disc player is also necessarily large due to the provision of the record holding mechanism.
Also, there have been some automatic record disc loading players having holding means for holding a record disc at a center hole edge thereof. In such players, in playing an EP record disc, a relatively large diameter spindle must be used instead of a relatively small diameter spindle. This makes it difficult to construct such a holding mechanism. In addition, an intricate manipulation of the adapter and the spindle is needed before record disc insertion.
In the prior art automatic loading players, the record transferring mechanism requires a drive motor in addition to a phono motor, the drive motor changing its rotational direction in accordance with the switching of the operation of the record transferring mechanism. Alternatively, if the record disc transferring mechanism is driven by a rotational torque derived from a turntable shaft, the drive direction change-over mechanism becomes large in size and intricate without a high mechanical reliability.
In the prior art automatic players, the play position of the record disc is close to the initial loading position of the record disc. This causes the record change and setting operation to be difficult. Also, in the prior art automatic loading players, it is difficult to exactly center the record disc at a predetermined setting position. To this end, upon completion of the centering or setting, a member used for centering the record disc must be moved from a position where the member for centering may abut against the record disc. In order to satisfy this requirement, the record disc players are enlarged in size. This problem is serious if a large diameter record disc is used.